Mass Effect 4 Will Be Fuelled By DICE's Frostbite 2 Engine

The in-development Mass Effect 4 will take advantage of DICE’s fantastic Frostbite 2 engine, publisher EA Games has announced. The sequel is the latest in a long line of internal projects to adopt the proprietary technology. It will also be harnessed by the upcoming Dragon Age III: Inquisition.

In addition to the engine switch, BioWare has also confirmed that its Montreal team will now take control of the series. Previously, the franchise had been handled by BioWare Edmonton. Casey Hudson will remain the executive producer on the upcoming release.

"While [Mass Effect 4] will be very respectful of the heritage built over the course of the first three games, with the original trilogy now concluded and the switch over to a new engine, we are exploring new directions, both on the gameplay and story fronts," studio director Yanick Roy revealed on the BioWare Blog.

"You can still expect the pillars the franchise is known for to be fully intact though, including diverse alien races, a huge galaxy to explore, and of course rich, cinematic storytelling."

BioWare Montreal is no stranger to the Mass Effect series, having already contributed heavily to the franchise. The studio was responsible for the second title’s DLC, in addition to the multiplayer component of the most recent release. It also produced the forthcoming Mass Effect 3: Omega expansion pack.